


Home At Last

by FeatherQuilt88



Series: Dragon's Brood [7]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Adopted Children, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Children, Cute, Cute Ending, Cute Kids, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fire Lord Zuko, Found Family, Gen, Happy Ending, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Platonic Cuddling, Post-Canon, Soft Zuko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-09 02:52:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18908038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeatherQuilt88/pseuds/FeatherQuilt88
Summary: The finale ofDragon's Brood--after surviving a pirate attack, Iroh, Zuko, and their new family member, Chiko, recuperate at the Fire Palace, and make Iroh's adoption of Chiko official. Iroh and Zuko find themselves as close as ever, too, as they welcome this little girl into their lives.





	Home At Last

**Author's Note:**

> Aaaand Councilwoman Den-Cho is one more background fancharacter I randomly invented during the writing process. Thanks again for reading this first fanfic series I posted here on AO3, everyone! I hope you enjoy(ed) it!

The stars had come out by the time the ship sailed into Capital City's harbor. Combined with all the lantern-lights, it made a truly magical sight.

The sparkles on the gently-lapping waves matched the ones in Chiko's eyes. Ever since she was old enough to know it existed, ever since she was old enough to understand the words, she had dreamed of this place. Of course, that had only been for about three cognizant years--but to a six-year-old, three years was quite literally half a lifetime.

And now Chiko wasn't just getting to _see_ Capital City--now it was going to be her new home!

Despite her and her new father's tiredness, the little one stretched her neck to see the giant dragon statues on either side of the sea entrance. Iroh smiled and held her up, to get a better look at the one closer to them. These were what was left of the Great Gates of Azulon.

It didn't bother Iroh that his own father's statue had been demolished, as quietly as possible, this last autumn. He had mentally disowned the man, when he had heard that Azulon was going to have his tiny, beloved nephew murdered. Iroh had already privately denounced his sire as a tyrant, after his own moral turnaround during the Siege of Ba-Sing-Se. And later, after their reunion in the White Lotus camp, when Zuko had hesitantly repeated to Iroh what Ozai had told him during the Day of the Black Sun... any remaining ties between Iroh and his late father had been cut for good, then.

But he didn't mind that the dragon-head parts of the contraption had been left intact, and were soon to be joined by a new statue of a phoenix, where Azulon's effigy once had stood. The nets would still function, joined to this new centerpiece, and would simply be renamed the "Great Harbor Gates." It _was_ a useful invention and line of defense Iroh's father had come up with, after all--nothing evil about it when used properly.

Chiko yawned hugely as the ship sloshed further into the harbor. Iroh chuckled and patted her back, his heart warming even more as he felt Zuko nod into his shoulder. They were all very tired... and very, _very_ thankful. Much more thankful than the pirates now locked inside the Fire vessel's brig, no doubt.

The ship's engine stopped as it slid into the dock. "Snnrrr..." the little girl lifted her head out of the old man's chest again, blinking. Zuko and Iroh straightened themselves up, to proceed off the gangplank. Even at this hour, a large group of attendants had come to meet them at the harbor. _The Fire Lord had finally returned to the capital._

"Welcome home, Lord Zuko," Councilwoman Den-Cho bowed, then opened her arms symbolically, the decorative yellow flames on her long sleeves spreading wide. The rather flamboyant middle-aged lady was one of the most prominent members of Zuko's court.

"It's good to be back, Den-Cho," Zuko returned the national salute, fist in palm, with a friendly but weary expression on his face. "We've had a..." he looked back over at his uncle and Chiko, and suddenly realized that it had been _only that morning_ when they'd decided to welcome the little girl into their family. And only two _hours_ ago when they had defeated Xun's pirates. "...A _very eventful_ day," the young Fire Lord decided.

Another attendant that had come out to meet them was an old friend--Lt. Jee. The military man had functioned as one of the royal guards in the capital for a short stint, this past half-year, and he was considering staying on. And he had always enjoyed Iroh's company, during their earlier time at sea.

The charred, ragged gap in the ship's railing, where the pirates' keg of powder had exploded, had caused quite a few gasps and whispers of concern from the crowd, as the vessel had pulled into the harbor. But seeing as none of the passengers appeared distraught as they debarked from the ramp, everyone assumed any tragedies had been avoided.

Because of this, Jee felt comfortable enough to joke, jerking his eyes over at the blasted hull-top. "You have a nice trip?" he grinned at Iroh.

Despite his exhaustion, the older noble was as jolly as ever. "Absolutely!" he beamed, rubbing his gray topknot. "Apart from one very uncomfortable hour or so, we had a _wonderful_ voyage." Iroh held Chiko's tiny hand in his other one, looking affectionately down at her. She, meanwhile, was peering shyly up at this new figure, who had a friendly lean face, and stiff hair a slightly darker shade of gray than Iroh's.

"Who's this?" Jee asked his old friend, smiling sweetly but curiously at the child.

Iroh's own smile broadened, even more sweetly. "This is Chiko," he picked the little girl up in his arms. "She was an orphan from Sekitan. Her papers are in the hold--we were going to transfer her to a better facility out here." He nuzzled her tiny nose with his big pug one, causing her to giggle. "But that won't be necessary anymore! Will it, little one? Will it?"

Iroh and Chiko were lost in their own cooing world, until the child noticed the carriage that had pulled up for them and Zuko. "Is that a dragon-moose?!!" she pointed and gasped, grinning widely.

Iroh laughed, joining in her innocent enthusiasm. "Yes! That's a big, big dragon-moose! They do not have those in the Earth Kingdom, do they? We use them a lot here, just like the Earth folk and Fire colonists use ostrich-horses," he explained, whispering and still making his new daughter comfortable in his elbow. "Would you like to pet it?"

The elderly prince remembered seeing these animals his whole life, ever since he was even smaller than Chiko. But somehow, watching the little girl touch her hand to the bridge of its rubbery nose, eyes alight with wonder, made everything new.

***

After Zuko had finished the minimum banter with the dignitaries, and Chiko had petted the docile, web-eared animal to her heart's content, they all had piled into the carriage, the driver clucking and pulling at the reins.

Chiko had scarcely let go of "Rei," ever since she had retrieved the handkerchief-doll from the steering-booth. The child held her toy tightly in both arms now. Iroh held her in his, his fluffy beard cushioning her little head. And Zuko held Iroh in his, his black topknot brushing against the silver one, as he laid his own head over his uncle's to rest.

...Less than three hours ago, this man had proven himself a raging dragon--nearly filling the whole deck of the pirate ship with his presence, muscular and roaring. And Zuko had almost felt like a child again, both then and earlier this summer in the White Lotus camp, when his uncle had wrapped him in his sheltering arms.

...And now, here the old man sat, fitting into Zuko's own embrace like a plump stuffed toy, cozy and warm. So short and old and little... as tame and sweet as a baby dove-bunny.

The young Fire Lord felt his chest quake, suddenly overwhelmed with love. He squeezed Iroh tighter, almost protectively.

_How in the world, how in the WORLD could someone be SO BIG and SO SMALL all at once?..._

Though the ride up the street to the palace was fairly short, Zuko, Iroh, and Chiko fell asleep that way, a three-person "totem pole" of heads stacked over one another. The royal servants had to wake them as gently as they could, to get the exhausted lord and his family to their baths, and then to bed.

It had been, as Zuko said, a _very_ long day.

***

The next week or so was spent in a flurry of preparations. While Zuko dealt with any official problems that had arisen during his long ambassadorial visit to the Earth Kingdom, Iroh got everything for Chiko's adoption ready with the judiciaries. He also started laying plans for the Amber Dragon! Chiko had squealed with delight again one morning when her new guardian had taken her for a picnic in the winding gardens just outside the palace, and they had peeked into the construction area just beyond that.

Zuko and many of his officials had already begun exchanging plans via messenger-hawk last month, the moment after he and King Kuei had finalized the agreement. (And Iroh had nearly bust to tell Zuko that Jin and her parents would be among the transplanted neighborhood--but he had ultimately decided to keep that a secret, as a delightful surprise. He could not _wait_ to see the look on his nephew's face, when they finally arrived in town!) Work was already well in place for the centerpiece of the new mini-town--the Earth Embassy. And a little ways beyond it, next to the apartment buildings and some shops being built... there was the wooden skeleton going up, of a wide but cozy teashop.

_Their new home._

Of course, the Fire palace would always be a second home for Chiko and Iroh too. They stayed in a modest-sized but plushly-draped guest suite, and the little girl spent hours exploring several other corridors in awe. There were giant, decorative urns as big as her, and flame-embroidered tapestries to hide behind, and even a big outdoor courtyard, with trees and a pond full of turtleducks! Zuko had shown her how to pinch pieces of bread off to feed the little animals, and Chiko had laughed as their clapping little beaks had swarmed her.

Iroh had shown her his collection of antique teapots, made them some ginger and chamomile, and passed out on the spot. Chiko had smiled and curled up next to her adoptive parent, not complaining. Few things were more comforting to her, now, than to fall asleep listening to Iroh's heartbeat and his drowsy old snore.

***

One morning, when the day of Chiko's official adoption ceremony was drawing very near, Iroh had taken the child into his lap, and had a quiet talk with her about Zuko. Most of it she probably had already picked up by now, of course, but still--it was important to him that his children knew everything possible to support each other.

Iroh told Chiko, as gently as he could, about Azulon's cruelty, and Ursa's disappearance, and the Agni-Kai scarring a few years later. He told her about his and Zuko's three years at sea together.

He let her know what things might still upset the young Fire Lord--why "honor" was a very important (and sometimes misunderstood) word, and why their little family never ate komodo-chicken anymore (it was one of the few foods Iroh didn't like all that much, but more importantly, it sent Zuko into throes of guilty memories).

"It is good for us to try to cheer Zuko up, to try to get him to have some fun," Iroh rumbled gently, petting Chiko's topknot; "but it is even more important to simply be there for him, whether he is feeling happy or angry or sad. Sometimes, it is harder for my nephew to feel happy, than it is for you and me," the old Firebender's amber eyes moistened. But then he smiled quietly again. "We just have to make sure he knows he is _loved,_ whether his emotions tell him that or not."

Chiko's own eyes had been wavering in sympathy, growing a little teary themselves. "I'll be the _best little sister_ I can be to him, Bapa. I promise!"

Iroh pressed his balding forehead into the child's, eyes closed in gratitude. " _Thank you,_ my little cherry blossom. You don't know what that means to me."

The two of them sat there rocking for a moment. "...The way you make him drawings, and always let him show you his little fire-tricks, is so very sweet," the old man added. "He already talks about that a lot, you know."

***

Chiko was surprised when, that afternoon, Zuko did almost the exact same thing Iroh had done that morning, completely without knowing it.

"Chiko?" the young Fire Lord had knelt down, taken the child's hands in his own, and sat at the edge of one of the palace's many couch-beds with her. "I want to talk with you a moment about Uncle Iroh."

"You already told me about him bein' a... a new person," Chiko peeped, remembering that emotional conversation they had had on the ship.

Zuko shook his head, almost chuckling, his hair swishing softly back and forth. "No, no, not that. I mean about you... about you going to be his daughter now. --You already are!" he added swiftly, still smiling to reassure the child. "But the fact that it's gonna be official really soon... it just got me thinking."

Chiko stared up at her "cousin-brother" equally gently, amber eyes shimmering. "What about?" she peeped again.

The golden ones met hers with all the warmth of the sun. "I love my uncle more than I can possibly put into words. He's _always_ been special to me... and for the past few years, he's been the most important person in my whole life."

_A scene flashed in Zuko's memory then. A teary-eyed Iroh grabbed him into a bear-hug, before watching him lower the longboat from Zhao's ship. Stern, angry, misguided boy though Zuko was back then, it made no difference. He had muttered "you don't have to say it," at that moment... but his uncle's rumbly words were like honey and medicine wrapped together in his soul, now._

_"I think of you as my own."_

_Iroh had repeatedly told Zuko that he considered him his own son. Uncle... was "uncle" even the right word, anymore?_

Zuko sniffed, and continued, squeezing Chiko's little hands tight. "I know you love him so much too. Chiko--we're all gonna be a family, and I'm gonna see you and Uncle Iroh nearly every day. But if I'm ever not around at a specific moment--if I have to be with my court, or if I'm gone somewhere, while you and Uncle are in the teashop..." now the Fire Lord's eyes were dewing, just as his guardian's had earlier. " _You take care of him for me,_ okay, Chiko?"

The little girl looked somberly up at the Fire Lord. "You mean... tuck him into bed, make sure he takes his medicine if he's sick, things like that?"

Zuko chuckled fondly again, slender shoulders shaking. "Well, I figure _he'll_ be tucking _you_ into bed more often, little one!" Then his crackly voice softened, more serious again. "...But yes. If he ever needs it, especially as you grow older. But most of all, I want you to make him happy."

Chiko smiled up at Zuko. That didn't sound like a very tall order--Bapa was almost _always_ jolly and happy!

Zuko told her all of his uncle's little quirks that he could think of, then, just in case she hadn't discovered them during their past few weeks together.

Ginseng and jasmine were his favorite teas, but there wasn't a kind in the world that wouldn't please him, as long as it was prepared right. Lu-Ten's birthday was very important--if he smiled and told Chiko stories about the boy, that was good, and if he cried, that was good too--the tears were not a bad thing. Food was nearly as enjoyable to him as tea, and almost any dish would suffice, but roast duck was a special favorite, and noodles were also good to suggest for comfort, if he ever felt frustrated or sad or just tired.

Meadow voles were his favorite animal, and "Four Seasons" was his favorite song. Always laugh at his joke about the tea leaves. Pai-Sho was complicated, but it could be a lot of fun--he would probably be wanting to teach it to her when she'd grown a year or two older. And unless customers in the teashop were waiting, when he wanted a nap, let him sleep--but Chiko already knew that one by now, and in fact was so sweet to often cuddle up and join him.

"...Is he ticklish?" the child suddenly thought to ask about her new guardian.

Zuko gave one of his rare ear-to-ear grins. "YES!" He was more than pleased to share this mischievous little secret with his new "cousin-sister." The Fire Lord motioned to his collar. "Especially his neck. It's a little easier to reach whenever he wears his beard trimmed shorter--but anyways, if you can get your hand behind there under his chin, I guarantee you, he'll be _helpless!_ "

Iroh's two living children (and perhaps the one departed one too, if he was watching at that moment) giggled up a storm together, the young gold and the even younger amber eyes glittering at each other conspiratorially. This was going to be _so much fun!_

***

The sakura trees were budding. Spring had finally arrived in the Fire Nation, and Iroh had trimmed his beard back in honor of the occasion, as he had decided would be his pattern now. Chiko had at first been slightly upset about this change, never having seen him without his long, full whiskers before. Iroh still had his fuzzy sideburns, of course, now cut into two "spades" on each side instead of one--and his chin still had a furry tassel, but it wasn't really big enough for her to bury her face in anymore.

"I will grow it back in the fall and winter, little one," he'd reassured the mite, scooping her up so she could run her dimpled fingers over the new arrangements. "You can hide in it again then. But for now, it's airier this way for the warmer months. This is how I looked for years and years, you know, back when Zuko was a prince!" he winked.

Chiko had started to grin again, then, knowing everything was okay. Iroh kissed her forehead and straightened her little topknot.

The two of them were dressed in their very finest silks. Chiko's pink kimono was embroidered with countless cherry blossoms, like the ones that would soon be opening outside, and even Iroh's red robe had a little pink in the trim, along with many rich patterns of flora and spirit-cranes. Zuko was dressed in his most official Fire Lord attire, with the flared collar and golden crown.

They all stood by serenely as the court officiator dictated the adoption details to the scribe. Iroh, the Dragon of the West, prince-but-no-longer-heir-to-the-throne of the Fire Nation, was to become the legal guardian of Chiko, daughter of Yori and Aika, late of Sekitan. Technically, this made Chiko a minor princess herself, but like Iroh, she would not be in the pathway of the throne. Succession would pass to Zuko's firstborn instead, whenever he had children.

Zuko himself signed the scroll to finalize it, along with several other witnesses.

Chiko was now the beloved little cousin of the Fire Lord, and the beloved heir of the Fire Nation's most legendary soon-to-be teashop owner.

A tiny ray of sun kissed Iroh's cheek again. _Oh my boy--you came to watch this too?_ he smiled up through the nearby window, so very grateful.

***

Less than an hour later, Zuko found the new father and daughter sitting on the polished steps overlooking the palace garden. They were laughing jubilantly--not only because of the occasion, but also because Chiko had apparently taken Zuko's advice, now that Iroh's beard was shorter.

_She was tickling him!_

Zuko's heart grew warmer as he watched them, his uncle leaning back and spluttering with giggles, as Chiko's fingers darted under his chin, then over his vast tummy. Iroh managed to tickle her back between these little pokes, skittering his fingertips under her own diminutive chin. The young Fire Lord grinned.

"Scoot over," he announced, sliding into Iroh's other side; "that looks fun." He gave their guardian's belly a playful, more vigorous rub than Chiko's tiny hands were capable of. They all three giggled all the more.

"You were right, Big Ko!" Chiko popped out from Iroh's arm and beamed up at her relative. "Our Bapa _is_ ticklish! I--I mean your uncle," she then corrected herself, shyly.

Zuko's expression softened as he cuddled a bit closer. "...'Bapa' has a nice ring to it," he whispered, making sure Iroh heard.

The old man suddenly stopped his comfortable chuckling, to stare up at his nephew.

Zuko's golden eyes stared back into his, shining with sincerity. "I've been calling you 'Uncle' for long enough. I might have been born to another father, but you know that I..." his husky voice echoed the words Iroh had once told to him; " _I think of you as my own._ "

The old amber eyes nearly melted then.

"I love you, Dad," Zuko cried, hugging him and Chiko both.

"OH, _ZUKO!!!_ " Iroh screamed aloud with joy, flinging his arms around his second son.

If there had been any doubt in his mind before, there was none now.

_This was the happiest day of his life._


End file.
